Groundhog Day
by Somebody's MissBehaving Angel
Summary: Inspired by Meagan's line to Don, I don't like it either, but you and I aren't set up for a child. Calculated Risk


Groundhog Day

_MissBehaving_

Summary:

_Inspired by the line: "I don't like it either but you and I aren't set up to take care of a child." Meagan to Don - Calculated Risk._

_So what did that mean?_

_Well a few cases later, we find out, here in my interpretation of what really when down this scene in 'The Running Man'_

Disclaimer: NOT MINE

"University of Hawaii accepts Paul Combs, who says he grew up on a Wyoming ranch." Meagan handed the photo of Ron Allen to Don. "He's an unspectacular, but solid B-student with an interest in astronomy, microbiology and competitive running, who disappeared in 1998 with seven grand worth of computer equipment."

"Right."

"He surfaces again as Henry Wiera, a freshman at Dukes in 1999. This time he says he grew up on an Alaskan fishing boat." The second picture was also given to Don. "This time he's a better student and a faster runner."

David came to stand at Meagan's cubical. "That makes sense. He knows the classes and runners improve in their mid-20s."

"Yeah, only this time his disappearance coincides with the theft of a fifteen thousand dollar electron microscope."

"Hmm." Don was seriously standing close enough to the female agent to be considered in her personal space. Neither one seemed to notice it though. Meagan was focused on the file in her hands and Don was looking at the third picture of Ron Allen deep in thought.

"Then Allen Donaldson gets into MIT in 2001." Meagan had a uncharacteristic smile on her face as she passed her boss the third photo. She didn't usually smile when relating facts of the case. That made David wonder what she was smiling about. "He introduces 'The Kid From The Street' story."

"He's got to be on his way to 30 trying to pass for 18 at this point." David studied the pictures for telltale signs of aging whilst trying to simultaneously decern what made Meagan so happy at the moment.

"Star student, star runner and gone the next year with something called a Mass Spectrometer worth upwards of forty thousand dollars." David noticed that her smile was only aimed at Don Eppes.

Meagan sat down on her desk and Don followed to stand right beside her. That confirmed David's suspicions that something was going on between the two of them. "Alright, so what, he builds the identities from a dead guy in another state? So he gets a birth certificate, which gets him a drivers licence, Social Security card, all that."

David postulated. "It fits out spy theory."

"Actually it doesn't, because the stuff he's stealing has value but it's not sensitive enough for an agent to break cover." Meagan corrected David.

"Right." Don seemed to follow Meagan's line of reasoning even if his eyes were a million miles away. He picked up something off the desk and set it back down.

"Okay, so he's just a thief." David tried to grasp at their line of thinking and failed miserably.

"That doesn't really work either because although he's stealing bigger every time there's just not enough money there to justify the time he spends as a student."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. What if thefts weren't an end, but a means?" Don swung around and looked at his team like he expected them to know what he had been thinking about. He didn't even get a dirty look for interrupting Meagan.

David was completely lost at this point. "Means to what?" Why did he have the feeling he was talking to himself? David looked at Meagan. The woman was grinning like she understood exactly what their boss was talking about. Unbelievable. Not only did she not care that she'd been cut off, she was happy about it.

"You know, like Groundhog Day. Right? He gets to live the same life over and over again, but each time better."

"Like a junkie, stealing just enough to get to his next fix. Only his high is from the false celebrity with every new persona." How on earth were they on the same wavelength all the time?

"Yeah, but this thing, this synthesizer is a much bigger deal than that."

"Because he needs a bigger fix to get the same high."

"Right." They grinned at each other and David suspected that if Colby hadn't interrupted them with some information that they would have forgotten they were not the only two people in the room.

It was much later that evening, when Meagan finished getting a statement from Wesley Shire. When she arrived at her apartment there were not lights so she expected her apartment to be empty and was therefore surprised to find another person's gun, badge and keys on the counter when she unloaded her own.

"Meagan is that you?" a male voice called out from the other room.

"Yeah, I just got back." Meagan left her jacket on the couch and then climbed onto the bed. "How was your day?"

"Same as yours." Don replied as he kissed Meagan.

FIN


End file.
